Around the NFL: Dolphins coach promises to change culture

Friday

Feb 21, 2014 at 12:01 AMFeb 21, 2014 at 10:36 AM

Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin displayed resolve during his first comments since the release of NFL-appointed investigator Ted Wells' report of the franchise's bullying scandal that has followed the team since October.

Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin displayed resolve during his first comments since the release of NFL-appointed investigator Ted Wells’ report of the franchise’s bullying scandal that has followed the team since October.

Philbin spoke forcefully about the changes the franchise needed to make in the aftermath of last Friday’s report release.

“I’m the head football coach, so the team, the performance of the team, the 8-8 record, that falls on my shoulders,” said Philbin, who stood before a large media contingent yesterday at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. “So I’m going to be more vigilant, I’m going to be more diligent, I’m going to be more visible, and I’m going to have a better pulse.”

Philbin said he was alarmed after reading a report that outlined bullying and harassing behavior among Dolphins guards Richie Incognito and John Jerry and center Mike Pouncey toward tackles Jonathan Martin and Andrew McDonald and assistant trainer Naohisa Inoue.

The Dolphins have taken some steps in correcting the troubled workplace when they fired offensive line coach Jim Turner and head trainer Kevin O’Neill on Wednesday for roles in the saga. The Dolphins do not plan on any other staff discipline.

Philbin, who took responsibility for the Incognito-Martin controversy, said he wasn’t caught off guard by the Wells report because he questioned people between the time Martin left the team on Oct.?28 and the release of the report.

“The majority of things I knew about,” Philbin said.

Rice, fiancee on video

A police complaint alleges that Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice knocked out his fiancee during an argument at a casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

Police charged both Rice and Janay Palmer with simple assault in the incident on Saturday at the Revel Casino.

A police complaint says Rice struck her with his hand, “rendering her unconscious.” Palmer also is accused of striking Rice with her hand.

TMZ Sports released a video of what it says shows Rice dragging a seemingly motionless woman out of the casino elevator. Rice’s lawyer said the video “is obviously edited.”

Owens states his case

Terrell Owens sees NFL players making the police blotter and shakes his head.

Somehow, T.O. was the bad boy?

“You look at some of the stuff guys are doing now: domestic violence, players killing players, just everything,” Owens told the Associated Press in Philadelphia. “You have so many guys with off-the-field problems, drug issues, alcohol problems, and they’re still given second chances and third chances. … I never had those issues. It’s disappointing.”

Owens played his last NFL game on Dec. 19, 2010. But the five-time All-Pro receiver still thinks he can play at age 40.

“They brought up my age when I was 35, 36 and I’m still in just as good of shape as I was then,” Owens said. “Jerry (Rice) played until he was 42. At 39, I ran a 4.43 (second) 40-yard dash. You look at the number of dropped balls and the way guys are playing now, and you can’t honestly say I can’t do better.”

Still, Owens knows it’s unlikely that a team will call.

“There’s not a question that I can still play,” he said, “but perception, media portrayal is so negative. Any time there’s a rumor that a team is interested in bringing me in, there’s all this media attention, and the negative things they have to say are more than the positives. It’s not about what I can bring to them. It’s about stuff I did five, 10 years ago.”

Owens ranks among the career leaders in several statistical categories and has the numbers to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He finished with 1,078 catches for 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns. He is sixth in catches, second in yards and third in TDs.